Warner Bros.' upcoming Pokémon film Detective Pikachu is projected to have a very strong opening weekend, with predicted earnings in the $75 million range.
According to Boxoffice Pro, there are a number of factors that could contribute to a successful first weekend in theaters, including worldwide recognition of the Pokémon brand, social media buzz surrounding the movie, the popularity of Pokémon Go and the star power of Ryan Reynolds, who voices Pikachu.
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The movie will open three weeks after Avengers: Endgame and two weeks before Aladdin, meaning there will be no major competition. On the other hand, Endgame could still be going strong, and the buzz leading up to the release date could be more skewed by international audiences than what is likely the case for other films being released around the same time.
Legendary Entertainment is producing the upcoming live-action film, with an adaptation of the video games Pokémon Red and Blue also reportedly in development. According to Legendary producer Ali Mendes, the studio would love to include all 800 Pokémon currently in existence on the big screen in some capacity.
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Directed by Rob Letterman, Detective Pikachu stars Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, Ken Watanabe and the voice of Ryan Reynolds. The film opens in theaters on May 10.